Horn Please - Glasgow Restaurant Review

Horn Please has just opened its doors between Sauchiehall Street and the popular Finnieston area to welcoming restaurant arms; it offers a new take on Indian style dining, and we couldn't wait to try it out.

The Venue

You might not immediately notice this basement restaurant from outside, but its lively, well-lit interior will make you happy you ventured down. The colourful bamboo armchairs, curios hanging on the walls, and spacious open-plan mean it is an oasis from the street above. The music is variably contemporary Indian pop and Ravi Shankar sitars, adding to the quirky vibe of this place.

Wrought with rustic materials, Horn Please is full of casual, colourful cool.

The Food and Drink

You will recognise aspects of your favourite Indian dishes on the menu, but they have all been given a contemporary and exciting twist. The mains menu is arranged by vegetarian, meat, and fish and seafood dishes with vegetarian being slightly cheaper than the others.

We started with a couple of tasty appetisers: the ‘flavoured mini popadoms with chutneys’ at £3.50 were a slight change on the old classic, while the ‘flour water breads, fillings and cold shots’ were a new experience of mixing and matching shots of flavoursome purées with the accompanying fillings.

Next were the main dishes which are served tapas style. The portions are not huge but packed with flavour and you’re guaranteed to be dedicating all of your attention to each bite. At £5, the ‘Masala spiced baby aubergines on an aubergine curry base’ were beautifully presented and the ‘Gram flour yoghurt curry with fried rice and crunchy masala okra’, for £5.50 was a tangy citrus delight. The ‘Chicken tikka breast with cream and fenugreek sauce and Serrano ham bits’ at £6.25 provides a perfect example of the innovative fusion going on in the kitchen here. The ‘Indian lentil and rice croquettes’ were £4.50 and a perfect addition to the other mains thanks to their plump and savoury edge.

The delight is in the detail here with textures and flavours perfectly complementing each other and keeping you guessing about what part of the world has inspired this novel take on Indian food. Drinks are not a main player here but Tiger beer is served on tap and is a perfect match for your meal.

The vegetarian menu at Horn Please is an absolute treasure.

The Atmosphere and Clientele

The diners were mostly smaller groups and couples, however it’s easy to imagine that when this place gains the reputation it deserves it will start to receive bigger groups from the Sauchiehall stretch. The tapas styles of dining would be perfect for groups and there is a good selection of unique vegetarian dishes.

Fusion dining with an amped up Indian twist is the least you can expect from these colourful plates.

Summary

If you're an adventurous diner who would rather savour the potential of Indian inspired tastes instead of solely appreciating its quantity, then this is the place for you. While the pared down interior and affordable prices might suggest otherwise, this restaurant offers an exciting fine dining culinary experience.